French is essentential because the school system demands it : Une étude sociolinguistique sur les attitudes envers le français aux Seychelles

Sammanfattning: This study takes off in is its confirmation of the result of previous research: within the population of the Seychelles, the general attitude towards the French language is negative rather than positive. Such a state of affairs is uncommon to find in postcolonial countries, where the occidental languages tend to be highly esteemed. Through qualitative interviewing of Seychellois teachers, this study examines the reasons for said negative attitudes, combining the result of the interviews with sociolinguistic and postcolonial theories on language, attitude and identity. As reasons for the negative attitudes, the study points out the lack of domains in which to make use of French, as well as inadequate identification opportunities. The colonial heritage plays an active role in the shaping of linguistic attitudes in modern day Seychelles.